convoluted

American  

[kon-vuh-loo-tid] / ˈkɒn vəˌlu tɪd /

adjective

1. twisted; coiled.

2. complicated; intricately involved.

   a convoluted way of describing a simple device.

---

convoluted British  

/ ˈkɒnvəˌluːtɪd /

adjective

1. (esp of meaning, style, etc) difficult to comprehend; involved

2. wound together; coiled

---

Other Word Forms

• convolutedly adjective
• convolutedness noun
• unconvoluted adjective

Etymology

Origin of convoluted

First recorded in 1805–15; convolute + -ed ²

Example Sentences

For three decades, the meta-horror franchise “Scream” has outmaneuvered its fandom with so many convoluted murder motives that the only shocker left would be a straightforward, sincere slasher.

From Los Angeles Times

The race to dominate artificial intelligence has created a financial superstructure of eye-watering corporate valuations, massive capital-expenditure plans, risky Wall Street trades and convoluted debt deals.

From The Wall Street Journal

"It will just be in a less direct and slightly more convoluted manner."

From Barron's

The “glitterball” of the title, the fixture of nightclub life for decades, was created in Louisville, or so the series claims, and serves as a convoluted metaphor for that Kentucky city.

From The Wall Street Journal

Over time, these middlemen have built vertically integrated structures designed to extract value from America’s uniquely convoluted drug-distribution model.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• intricate
• labyrinthine
• perplexing
• puzzling
• tangled
• tortuous